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2019-2020
Family Handbook
The City of Burlington and the Alamance County Community YMCA have partnered to bring premier facilities and
competitive swimming opportunities to all residents with coaching staff encouraging the traits of integrity, self-
esteem, and caring through the sport of swimming.
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WELCOME!
Welcome to the YBAC Hurricanes (YBAC).
The YBAC coaching staff is committed to providing a program that offers swimmers
of all ages, skills and commitment levels an opportunity to enjoy the personal
reward and physical benefits of the sport of swimming. The team’s goal is to ensure
that every swimmer is provided the opportunity and training necessary to achieve
his/her maximum potential in a fun and rewarding environment. Although individual
successes may vary among swimmers, the lessons and benefits of competitive
swimming will last a lifetime.
This handbook is intended to help familiarize you with YBAC and USA and YMCA
Swimming. As you look through this manual, you will be introduced to our history,
philosophy, policies, and basic information related to your day-to-day participation
in the program. We hope as the year progresses you will find this handbook to be a
valuable reference tool to help you to better understand and enjoy the world of
year-round competitive swimming and YBAC.
Parent participation is essential to the existence and continued success of YBAC.
Our program can only be as successful as our members make it. New ideas and
programs are developed when thoughtful members are willing to become active
participants in the organization for the betterment of all. We hope you will get
involved in the club’s activities. Please feel free to ask a coach, or volunteer
coordinator for assistance in “steering” you in the right direction.
Alamance County YMCA
1346 S. Main St.
Burlington, NC 27215
(336) 395-YMCA
Maynard Aquatic Center
1402 Overbrook Rd.
Burlington, NC 27215
(336) 222-5043
STAFF POSITION NAME E-MAIL PHONE
Director David McDevitt [email protected] 395-9622
Head Coach:
T & F Coach Solaris Anderson [email protected]
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
USA SWIMMING
Mission Statement
Vision Statement
Core Objectives
YMCA
Mission Statement
Vision
Core Objectives
BURLINGTON REC. & PARKS
Mission Statement
THE TEAM
Team Philosophy
What is Swimming All About?
Physical Development
YBAC Mission Statement
Team Goals and Objectives
TEAM ORGANIZATION
Coaching Staff
Responsibilities
Team Levels
Team Placement Considerations
Reassignment Procedure
Group Requirements & Expectations
THE TRAINING PROGRAM
Training Sessions
Training Locations
Practice and Attendance Policies
Injury & Illness Policy
Swimmers Training Responsibilities
Code of Conduct
PARENTS’ ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Parents Your Swimmer Needs You
Parents’ Responsibilities
Ten Commandments of Parents …
Communication
Problems with the Coach
TEAM MANAGEMENT
Swimmer Equipment
Registration
General
Transfers
Finances
Fees & Dues Structure
Financial Assistance
Quitting the Team
Hosting Swim Meets
Year Round Swimming
SWIM MEETS
Competitive Strokes
Meet Classification & Progression
And the Winner is …
Meet Schedule
Philosophy of Competition
Meet Entry Procedures
Meet Preparation and Guidelines
The Reason Why You Are There
Officials and Disagreements
Meet Results
Everything You Wanted to Know…
Before the meet starts
Meet Starts
What to Bring To Swim Meets
Special Note for Parents
Championship Meets
Out of Town Meets
Bus Trip Policy
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USA SWIMMING
Mission Statement USA Swimming is the National Governing Body for the sport of swimming. We administer competitive
swimming in accordance with the Amateur Sports Act. We provide programs and services for our
members, supporters, affiliates and the interested public. We value these members of the swimming
community, and the staff and volunteers who serve them. We are committed to excellence and the
improvement of our sport.
Vision Statement To inspire and enable our members to achieve excellence in the sport of swimming and in life.
The national headquarters are located at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.
Programs and services are provided to the membership through the national headquarters. To find out
more go to www.usa-swimming.org
Core Objectives USA Swimming has adopted three core objectives. These core objectives establish the foundation of the
strategic business plan for our sport. USA Swimming encourages all members to participate in the local,
regional and national efforts to ensure that these objectives are accomplished.
Build the Base
We seek to expand our membership in order to share our sport with as many other people
as possible. We are especially committed to sharing the values of our sport with young
people who may discover that swimming is an activity they can enjoy for their entire life.
Promote the Sport
We want swimming to receive as much publicity as possible because we believe that the
more people learn about our sport the more inclined they will be to join the ranks of our
membership. We are proud of our sport and we seek to celebrate it whenever possible.
Achieve Competitive Success
USA Swimming has been ranked as the number one swimming nation in the world for more
than 40 years. We seek to continue this tradition of competitive excellence. When our elite
athletes are successful in fulfilling their Olympic dreams our society benefits from the
inspiration these athletes give us.
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YMCA Swimming & Diving
Mission Statement The mission of the YMCA is to put Judeo Christian principles into practice through programs that build
healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.
Vision A non-profit organization, the Alamance County Community YMCA strives to be a true community center
where people of all ages and circumstances may work toward fitness of spirit, mind and body in a safe,
friendly environment. We are committed to providing activities that build strong kids, strong families and
strong communities through quality programs in the area of fitness, youth aquatics, sports and family.
Guiding Principles: FAITH: Christian faith is our foundation
INCLUSIVENESS: The YMCA welcomes the membership and participation of men, women and
children of all ages, incomes, ethnicity, religious and abilities
FAMILY: The family is the basic unit of the community. Assisting in developing strong
family relationships is a vital function of the YMCA
CHARACTER: Our core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility are critical to
our mission and are to be reflected in all activities and relationships
LEADERSHIP: Board members, staff and volunteers are expected to adhere to high ethical
standards and to lead with integrity.
RELATIONSHIPS: The YMCA will be most effective in achieving its mission through the
meaningful relationships we build with our members, community and one
another
COMMUNITY: As a service organization, the YMCA is dependent upon the moral and
financial support of the community
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BURLINGTON RECREATION & PARKS
Mission Statement The Burlington Recreation & Parks Department strives to provide diversified leisure opportunities
involving a wide variety of programs at well maintained strategically located facilities, which may enhance
the quality of life for all residents within our community.
Burlington boasts as being one of the strongest and most respected Recreation & Parks Departments in
North Carolina. The department’s mission centers around providing a diversified collection of program
opportunities at properly designed and strategically located facilities throughout the city. The demand
for leisure and art services continues to increase at a rapid pace and can be measured and summarized
by its impact in three areas:
Physical Impact for Participants
Social Impact for Participants
Economic Impact on Entire Community
The Burlington Recreation & Parks Department has evolved as a cornerstone of the city and a key factor
in providing an excellent standard in the quality of life for Burlington residents.
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THE TEAM
The City of Burlington and the Alamance County Community YMCA collaborated and created this swim
team in 2005. This program offers swimmers the opportunity to compete in two competitive swim
circuits; YMCA meets, including YMCA Nationals, as well as the USAS meets, including Sectionals, Junior
Nationals, etc.
Team Philosophy YBAC is a year-round competitive swim program dedicated to helping athletes reach their highest
potential. We provide an atmosphere of challenging hard work and commitment that leads to excellence.
We have developed a planned progression of excellence that demands dedication, self-discipline and
commitment. A challenging environment that places the needs of the “team” first surrounds athletes in
our program. Our emphasis is placed on providing an atmosphere where every swimmer will reap
invaluable long-term benefits from a total commitment to excellence and the “team concept” whether
he/she decides to make a career out of swimming or not. We set high goals and work toward our goals
every day, year after year.
What is Swimming All About? Age group swimming builds a strong foundation for a lifetime of good health, by teaching healthy fitness
habits.
Physical Development
Swimming is considered the ideal activity for developing muscular and skeletal growth by many
physicians and pediatricians. Why do doctors like it so much?
Swimming develops high quality aerobic endurance, the most important key to physical fitness.
In other sports an hour of practice may yield as little as 10 minutes of meaningful exercise.
Age group swimming teams use every precious minute of practice time developing fitness and
teaching skills.
Swimming does a better job in proportional muscular development by using all the body's major
muscle groups. No other sport does this as well.
Swimming enhances children's natural flexibility (at a time when they ordinarily begin to lose it)
by exercising all of their major joints through a full range of motion.
Swimming helps develop superior coordination because it requires combinations of complex
movements of all parts of the body, enhancing harmonious muscle function, grace, and fluidity
of movement.
Swimming is the most injury-free of all children's sports.
Swimming is a sport that will bring kids fitness and enjoyment for life. Participants in Master's
Swimming programs are still training and racing well into their 80's.
Swimming provides self-discipline. Swimming provides a sense of quality. The young athlete learns that
success comes from doing things properly. Swimming is a direct reward system. The harder you work, the
greater your reward. Swimming teaches the relationship between team and individual. Neither team nor
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individual can exist and prosper in swimming without the other. It teaches people to work with others.
Swimming teaches organization. The swimmer has to organize their day to fit in all the life activities they
want. They learn time-management. Swimmers are almost always better students when they are training
and competing. In a study done with over 100 high school and college athletic teams, the swim teams
had the highest GPA of all the competitive teams on campus. Swimming teaches people how to win, how
to lose with grace, and how to develop a personal philosophy that will make them long-term successes in
life. They learn to evaluate their efforts, set goals, and achieve.
The learning process that your child goes through will be a key to their development. Swimming can help
children to learn, and realize that they do learn, due to their own personal effort. In this process, there
are lessons that teach the value of persistence, courage, and judgment, as well as direct lessons on the
value of effort, and the cause and effect relationship. Remember, your child should participate in
swimming for the pleasure it can give, and the great values and lessons it can teach.
YBAC Mission Statement To offer competitive swimming opportunities to all residents while developing the traits of integrity, self-
esteem, and caring through the sport of swimming.
Team Goals and Objectives The primary goals of the YBAC Hurricanes are as follows:
To be recognized as a competitive swim team.
To be an expanding program that develops competitive swimmers from novice to the national
level.
To have adequate resources provided from an expanding financial base.
To have a majority of the family membership actively involved in the team.
To promote a positive relationship within the community and take a leadership role to develop the
sport of swimming.
All parents and swimmers at YBAC share the following major team objectives:
Developing an appreciation for the value of high self-esteem, the fruits of hard work and the
importance of good sportsmanship.
Providing opportunities for social and emotional development as well as cultural and educational
growth.
Providing professional instruction, training, and competition for every swimmer regardless of age
or ability.
Motivating participants to realize their full potential through the constant pursuit of excellence.
Motivating participants to learn to work with others for the good of the team.
Participation in a leadership role of all governing bodies of swimming.
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TEAM ORGANIZATION
Coaching Staff Nothing has a greater influence on the quality of children's sports than the excellence of the coach. The
YBAC Hurricanes staff consists of professionally trained coaches. They, as member coaches in the
American Swimming Coaches Association, have access to the most comprehensive training and
certification program for youth coaches of any sport in the United States. Certified coaches in USA
Swimming programs possess training and experience in the physiology and psychology of adolescent
development. Our coaching staff provides the assurances that the time your children spend in swimming
will be quality time.
Coaches’ Responsibilities
The coaches' job is to supervise the entire competitive swim program. The YBAC Hurricanes coaching
staff is dedicated to providing a program for youngsters that will enable them to learn the value of
striving to improve oneself. Therefore, the coaches must be in total control in matters affecting training
and competition.
1. The coaches are responsible for placing youngsters in practice groups. This is based on the
age and ability level of each individual. When it is in the best interest of a swimmer, he/ she
will be placed in a more challenging training group by the coach.
2. Sole responsibility for stroke instruction and the training regimen rests with the YBAC
Hurricanes coaching staff. Each group’s practices are based on sound scientific principles and
are geared to the specific goals of that group. The coaching staff will make the final decision
concerning which meets YBAC Hurricanes swimmers may attend. The coaching staff also makes
the final decision concerning which events a swimmer is entered into.
3. At meets, the coaching staff will conduct and supervise warm-up procedures for the team.
After each race, the coaches will offer constructive criticism regarding the swimmers
performance. (It is the parent's job to offer love and understanding regardless of their
youngster's performance)
4. The building of a relay team is the sole responsibility of the coaching staff.
The coaching staff is constantly updating and improving the YBAC Hurricanes program. It is the
swimmer's and parents' responsibility to make the most out of the excellent opportunity this program
provides for success in swimming.
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Team Levels YBAC is a year-round competitive swim program dedicated to helping athletes reach their highest
potential. We provide an atmosphere of challenging hard work and commitment that leads to excellence.
We offer three tracks in our swim program; a Technique and Fitness Program, a Competitive Program and
a High Performance Program. These tracks are designed to provide the most up-to-date instructions,
training and experience available.
The Technique & Fitness Track is designed to offer an entry-level and/or flexible swim team experience,
providing quality stroke instruction and age appropriate conditioning without a heavy focus on
competition or time commitment. This track is ideal for swimmers who may be new to year-round
swimming, are involved in various other activities or are looking to get in shape for a school or summer
team. Swimmers in this track have the opportunity to participate in local/Intrasquad and YMCA swim
meets. Those wishing to swim USA Swimming meets would need a USAS Membership.
The Competitive Track offers a progressive swim team experience to increase the swimmers skills and
training. This track is designed for swimmers with some previous swim team experience and a willingness
to explore their full potential in the pool. USA Swimming and YMCA swim meets are encouraged but
optional.
The High Performance track is designed to further develop the swimmers' stroke technique and to
improve aerobic and race pace conditioning. This track places an emphasis on competition and year-
round training in preparation for success at all levels of competitive swimming. The High Performance
Group is available to any swimmer who meets the following criteria:
Desire - Wants to do their best
Commitment - Able/Willing to attend more than 80% practices and attend meets
Passion - Willing to work hard to achieve their goals
The YBAC Hurricanes uses a "progressive" age group program designed to develop the child physically,
mentally and emotionally in a systematic fashion. A well-defined, long-term approach of gradually
increasing degrees of commitment is essential to reach peak performance levels during a swimmer's
physiological prime. The emphasis in the early stages of participation must be placed on developing
technical skills and a love for the sport. In the later years, a more demanding physical and psychological
challenge must be introduced to the training program. In this respect, "too much too soon" is more often
the cause of failure to achieve maximum potential in senior swimming than in the reverse situation.
In addition to emphasizing long-term rather than short-term results, it is also important that we
establish training groups of swimmers who are compatible in respect to abilities, commitment levels and
goals. Unfortunately, this is not always the most convenient approach to take, but it is always the most
productive.
At each level, the goals and objectives are specific and directed toward meeting the needs of the
swimmer. The long term goal of total excellence is always in mind. As each child is different, he/she will
progress at his/her own rate. The coaching staff recognizes this fact by making team assignments based
on a swimmer's physical, mental, and emotional level of development.
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Team Placement Considerations All team assignments are made at the sole discretion of the coaching staff, with the prerequisites in
mind. All swimmers are assigned based on a number of criteria, including:
Ability to train—Consistent ability to hold repeat times and intervals in all aspects (swimming,
kicking, pulling, etc.) is the primary consideration. The swimmer must demonstrate that he/she can
handle the training load of the assigned team.
Age—the swimmer must be able to relate to his/her peers. This is an important, yet usually not an
overriding factor, in assigning swimmers to teams.
Attitude—YBAC considers the swimmer’s attitude to be a prime factor for success. Can he/she
handle stress with a positive attitude? Can the swimmer handle adversity or “bad luck” or is
he/she devastated by minor setbacks? Does the swimmer enjoy practice?
Attendance—a prime consideration to the team is the swimmer’s ability and/or desire to handle
the level of dedication required of a particular team.
Competition level—while performance at meets may be useful in gauging a swimmer’s progress
relative to his/her peers; it is not a primary consideration for assigning swimmers to teams.
Technique—A swimmer’s level of proficiency in the start, turn and stroke techniques is an
important consideration.
Space Available—another consideration is the availability of space, or the number of swimmers
already assigned to the team on which a swimmer is to be placed.
Reassignment Procedures While every attempt will be made to avoid changes during the season, group reassignments may occur at
any time at the discretion of the coaching staff.
While there are several reasons why a reassignment may be necessary, the two primary reasons are as
follows:
The coach has decided that the swimmer meets the criteria of another group
The coach had decided that the swimmer does not meet the criteria of the current group.
Once the coach decides a swimmer is to be reassigned, the following steps will occur:
The head coach and the coach of the other group are informed and an agreement is made.
A coach then meets with the swimmer’s parents regarding the level of dedication and commitment,
policies and workload of that group.
Parents must agree that they can meet the financial commitment level of the group before the
athlete is reassigned.
The swimmer’s parents are then responsible for paying the new rate of monthly dues.
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Groups Description Technique & Fitness Program
YBAC 1 – This group is open to swimmers age 5-18 that can complete a minimum of 25 continuous yards
of freestyle with rotary breathing. Practices are 45 minutes and can practice up to three days/week with
no minimum attendance requirement.
Competitive Program
YBAC 2 – is designed for the beginning competitive swimmer with knowledge of Freestyle and Backstroke.
Practices are 60 minutes for up to 3 times per week.
Competitive 3 – is for swimmers who can swim all four strokes. Practices are 90 minutes for up to 5
times a week.
High Performance Program
YBAC 4 & 5 – is designed for those swimmers with the desire, skills and maturity to reach their full
potential. To remain in this group, swimmers must practice at least 80% of the recommended practices
for their group and attend at least 2 (Non-Intrasquad) meet sessions per semester. They must also
attend at least one championship meet (preferably the highest level qualified).
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THE TRAINING PROGRAM
Training Sessions Training sessions are the most important aspect of competitive swimming. Consistent training is needed
to progress through the classes of swimmers. Training schedules are designed to provide the most
efficient time required for a swimmer to accomplish this. Therefore, it is important that each swimmer
attends as many practices as possible in order to derive the full benefits of the program. Pool availability
is our most limiting factor. Don't waste it.
Training Locations The YBAC Swim Club utilizes two pools, the YMCA; 5 lanes x 25 yard; and the Maynard Aquatic Center; 6
lanes x 25 yards. Practice times and location will vary from pool to pool. It is a privilege to have the use
of these fine facilities, all swimmers and parents are required to respect the facilities and staff. Concerns
about the facility should be directed to the coaching staff. Actual practice times can be found on the
team’s web page.
Practice and Attendance Policies The following guidelines are to inform parents and swimmers of the coaches’ policies regarding practice.
These policies have been developed over many years and are designed to provide the best possible
practice environment for all.
1. Each training group has specific attendance recommendations appropriate for the objectives of
that group. As a general rule, the least possible interruption in the training schedule will produce
the greatest amount of success. The club does, however, encourage younger swimmers to
participate in other activities in addition to swimming. The expectation level of the coaches to
attend practices increases as swimmers move to higher groups.
2. For the swimmers protection, they should arrive to the pool no earlier than 15 minutes prior to
their workout time. Swimmers should be ready to swim five minutes prior to the start of their
practice. They should also be picked up no later than 15 minutes after their practice is over. A
parent late picking up their children will be charged $10 for 15 – 30 minutes pickup after practice
and $20 for 31-60 minutes after practice.
3. Plan to stay the entire practice. The last part of practice is very often the most important. In the
event that your child needs to be dismissed early from practice, communication with the coach is
strongly encouraged prior to the start of practice.
4. Occasionally, most of a practice group may be attending a meet, in which case you will be notified
of a practice change or cancellation.
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5. While at the pools, the swimmers are the responsibility of the coaching staff.
a. During practice sessions, swimmers are never to leave the pool area without coach's
permission.
6. The club has an obligation to act as guests (both swimmers and parents). Every member of the
club needs to do everything possible to respect this privilege. Any damages to the property may
result in financial liability of the swimmers’ parents. Any damage may also result in the swimmer
being asked to leave the team permanently.
7. If a parent needs to communicate with the coaching staff, the may do so, prior to practice begins
or preferably after practice is over. This is not always possible, so an e-mail will be best.
8. Parents are allowed to observe practice from the stands. Please be considerate and keep
conversations at a low volume level. Do not try to communicate with any swimmer from the
observation area. This is not only distracting to the swimmer, but can also be distracting to the
entire team as well as the coach.
Illness and Injury Whenever possible, the coach should be informed in advance of an illness or injury. Regardless of how
serious or trivial it may be, it will almost always be possible to find a physician (or parent) who will
recommend abstaining from training and one who will recommend a modified approach. It is helpful to
find a family physician who appreciate the importance of participation and who understands the
repercussions associated with missed meets and training sessions. If your swimmer will be out of the
water over a long period of time with an injury or illness, please notify the YBAC Hurricanes coaching
staff.
Swimmers’ Training Responsibilities As a swimmer's level of swimming ability increases so does his/her responsibility. The program is
designed to encourage all swimmers to be Senior Swimming bound. As swimmers improve, this is a deep
commitment that requires great effort on all parts. A swimmer has responsibilities to the team, the
coach, his/her parents, and most importantly to themselves. Swimmers need to prepare themselves for a
100% effort each time they come to practice.
Swimmers will be required to bring specified training accessories (i.e., goggles, flippers, etc.) to workouts.
It is the swimmer's responsibility to make sure these items are properly adjusted and that spares are
readily available. Equipment adjustment and repair will not be accepted as excuse to miss part of a
training session.
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Code of Conduct I, as a member of the YBAC Hurricanes, understand and will comply with the following guidelines as set
forth by USA Swimming and the YBAC Coaching Staff.
1. Team members and staff will refrain from any illegal or inappropriate behavior that would detract
from a positive image of YBAC or be detrimental to its performance objectives.
2. Team members will display proper respect, and sportsmanship towards coaches, officials,
administrators, fellow competitors and the public.
3. The possession or use of alcohol, tobacco products or controlled substances by any athlete
member of YBAC is prohibited throughout the duration of the trip.
4. Curfews established by the staff will be adhered to each day of the trip.
5. Team members and staff will attend all team functions including, but not limited to, meetings,
practices, exhibitions, competitions etc, unless otherwise excused or instructed by the Lead
Coach.
6. To insure the propriety of the athletes and to protect the staff there will be no male athletes in
female athlete’s rooms, and no female athletes in male athlete’s rooms, unless accompanied by
adult (non-athlete) at all times.
7. Team members and staff will comply with all USA Swimming and YBAC uniform requirements.
Details of the policy will be further explained at the beginning of the competition.
8. Any additional guidelines for YBAC will be established as needed by the Lead Coach.
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PARENTS’ ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Ten Commandments for Parents of Athletic Children
Reprinted from The Young Athlete by Bill Burgess included in “The Swim Parents Newsletter”
I. Make sure your child knows that – win
or lose, scared or heroic – you love
him/her, appreciate their efforts, and
are not disappointed in them. This will
allow then to do their best without a
fear of failure. Be the person in their
life they can look to for constant
positive reinforcement.
II. Try your best to be completely honest
about your child'’ athletic ability,
his/hers competitive attitude, their
sportsmanship, and their actual skill
level.
III. Be helpful, but don’t coach him/her on
the way to the pool or on the way
back, or at breakfast, and so on. It’s
tough not to, but it’s a lot tougher for
the child to be inundated with advice,
pep talks and often critical
instruction.
IV. Teach them to enjoy the thrill of
competition, to be “out there trying,”
to be working to improve his/her
swimming skills and attitudes. Help
him/her to develop the feel for
competing, for trying hard, for having
fun.
V. Try not to re-live your athletic life
through your child in a way that
creates pressure; you lost as well as
won. You were frightened, you backed
off at times, and you were not always
heroic. Don’t pressure your child
because of your pride. Athletic
children need their parents so you
must not withdraw. Just remember
there is a thinking, feeling, sensitive
free spirit out there in that uniform
who needs a lot of understanding,
especially when his world turns bad. If
he/she is comfortable with you – win
or lose – he/she is on their way to
maximum achievement and enjoyment.
VI. Don’t compete with the coach. If the
coach becomes an authority figure, it
will run from enchantment to
disenchantment, etc., with your
athlete.
VII. Don’t compare the skill, courage, or
attitudes of your child with other
members of the team, at least within
his/her hearing.
VIII. Get to know the coach so that you
can be assured that his/her
philosophy; attitudes, ethics, and
knowledge are such that you are
happy to have your child under
his/her leadership.
IX. Always remember that children tend
to exaggerate, both when praised and
when criticized. Temper your reaction
and investigate before over-reacting.
X. Make a point of understanding
courage, and the fact that it is
relative. Some of us can climb
mountains, and are afraid to fight.
Some of us will fight, but turn to jelly
if a bee approaches. Everyone is
frightened in certain areas. Explain
that courage is not the absence of
fear, but a means of doing something
in spite of fear of discomfort.
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Parents... Your Athlete Needs You To have a successful program there must be understanding and cooperation among
parents, swimmers, and coaches. The progress your youngster makes depends to a great
extent on this triangular relationship. It is with this in mind that we ask you to consider
this section as you join the YBAC Hurricanes and reacquaint yourself with this section if
you are a returning YBAC Hurricanes parent.
You have done a great deal to raise your child. You create the environment in which they
are growing up. Your child is a product of your values, the structure you have provided,
and the model you have been. Human nature, however, is such that a parent loses some of
his/her ability to remain detached and objective in matters concerning his/hers children's
athletics. The following guidelines will help you keep your child's development in the proper
perspective and help your child reach his/her full potential as an athlete.
The coach is the Coach! We want your swimmer to relate to his or her coach as soon as
possible concerning swimming matters. This relationship between coach and swimmer
produces best results. When parents interfere with opinions as to how the swimmer should
swim or train, it causes considerable, and oftentimes insurmountable, confusion as to
whom the swimmer should listen to. If you have a problem, concern, or complaint, please
contact the coach.
Best kind of parent: The coach's job is to motivate and constructively criticize the
swimmer's performance. It is the parent's job to supply the love, recognition, and
encouragement necessary to make the child work harder in practice, which in turn gives
him/her the confidence to perform well in competition.
Ten and under swimmers are the most inconsistent swimmers and this can be frustrating
for parents, coaches, and the swimmer alike! Parents and coaches must be patient and
permit these youngsters to learn to love the sport. When a young swimmer first joins
YBAC, there may be a brief period in which he/she appears to slow down. This is a result of
the added concentration on stroke technique, but this will soon lead to much faster swims
for the individual.
Even the very best swimmer will have meets where they do not do their best times. These
"plateaus" are a normal part of swimming. Over the course of a season times should
improve. Please be supportive of these "poor" meets. The older swimmers may have only
two or three meets a year for which they will be rested and tapered.
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Parents’ Responsibilities Please make every effort to have your swimmers at practice on time. Realize that your child
is working hard and give all the support you can. Encourage good diet and sleeping habits.
They will serve your children well.
The greatest contribution you can make to your swimmer's progress is to be a loving,
supportive parent. "The Ten Commandments for Parents of Athletic Children" is located
later in this section; it offers some very useful and sound advice on communicating with
your swimmer.
A portion of our operating budget is generated from the Club hosting swim meets each
year. One of the commitments made when you joined the YBAC Hurricanes was to help
work our own swim meets. Every family is expected to provide workers for two sessions of
the meet.
The following is a transportation policy that is in effect for all functions related to the club:
It is hereby the stated policy of the YBAC Hurricanes, that transportation
of swimmers and/or coaches to practices, meets, or any other event
considered to be a club function by any non-public conveyance, as defined
to include privately owned vehicles, is recognized by the YBAC Hurricanes
as a purely private agreement between the parties involved and that
neither the YBAC Hurricanes, the YMCA, nor Burlington Parks and
Recreation, separately or as a group, except for the parties directly
involved can be or will be considered as a party to such arrangement and
that any liability in any form arising from such arrangement is purely and
completely the responsibility of the parties involved.
Communication Internet – Most communications will be in electronic form. The team will use two methods:
Team Website - This site contains complete up-to-date information about the YBAC
Hurricanes. This should be your first source of information, i.e. latest news, meet
information, entries, results, records, monthly calendar, newsletter and much more.
Weekly E-mails – Every Monday, Coach David puts out as weekly e-mail containing the
latest news, practice changes for the week, upcoming deadline, and other important
information.
When contacting the coaches, please be considerate. The best way to speak with the
coaches is to meet them after practice. They usually make themselves available for 10
minutes to answer questions, provide information, etc... Sending a note to the coach with
your swimmer is a good way to get information to them.
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Problems with the Coach? One of the traditional swim team communication gaps is that some parents seem to feel
more comfortable in discussing their disagreements over coaching philosophy with other
parents rather than taking them directly to the coach. Not only is the problem never
resolved that way, but in fact this approach often results in new problems being created.
Listed below are some guidelines for a parent raising some difficult issues with a coach:
Try to keep foremost in your mind that you and the coach have the best interests of
your child at heart. If you trust that the coach's goals match yours, even though
his/her approach may be different, you are more likely to enjoy good rapport and a
constructive dialogue.
Keep in mind that the coach must balance your perspective of what is best for your
child with the needs of the team or a training group that can range in size from 20-
200 members. On occasion, an individual child's interest may need to be
subordinate to the interests of the group, but in the long run the benefits of
membership in the group compensate for occasional short term inconvenience.
If your child swims for an assistant coach, always discuss the matter first with that
coach, following the same guidelines and preconceptions noted above. If the
assistant coach cannot satisfactorily resolve your concern, then ask that the head
age group coach or head coach join the dialogue as a third party.
If another parent uses you as a sounding board for complaints about the coach's
performance or policies, listen empathetically, but encourage the other parent to
speak directly to the coach. He/she is the only one who can resolve the problem.
Parents are an essential ingredient to the success of YBAC—especially related to their
interactions with the coaches and other team members (including parents and swimmers).
To build a successful program, there must be a complete understanding between the
parents, swimmers, and coaches.
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TEAM MANAGEMENT
Swimmer Equipment Swimmers will be required to bring specified training accessories to workouts. It is the
swimmer's responsibility to make sure these items are properly adjusted and that spares
are readily available. Equipment adjustment and repair will not be accepted as excuse to
miss part of a training session.
A practice suit (practicing in your competition suit will wear it out)
Goggles
Cap (optional)
Kickboard
Pull Buoy
Fins
Mesh Bag to keep all wet equipment in
WATER BOTTLE(S) – Hydration is VITAL!
The team colors are black and red. All swimmers are strongly encouraged to wear a team
suit or at least a plain black suit for swim meets. Any swimmer wearing a swim cap must
wear their YBAC cap at swim meets. This displays YBAC pride, spirit and team unity. The
team suit and cap help parents and other swimmers recognize our team at meets and make
it easier for us to cheer for YBAC swimmers.
All swimmers, as well as parents, are also encouraged to wear YBAC attire at meets
including: T- shirts, polos, sweatshirts, warm-up suits. All team members, including those
swimming in an "unattached" status, should wear the team suit in competition. Other
optional items are available It is highly recommended that each swimmers name be placed
inconspicuously on all pieces of the team uniform.
Registration General
After you register with YBAC, the club then registers each swimmer with USA
Swimming. Registration includes completing the registration forms, parent
obligation form and paying fees and dues. Registration takes place, generally, at the
middle of August. Dates and times will be published. All registration forms must be
completed and fees paid before the membership application is considered. You will
need to provide a copy of the swimmer’s birth certificate. If you owe any money to
the team at the time of registration your account must be paid in full before signing
up for a new year.
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Transfers
Under USA Swimming rules, any swimmer transferring from another USA Swimming
Club to YBAC may not represent YBAC in a competition until a period of 120 days
has elapsed since the swimmer last represented the previous club in any
competition. During those 120 days, the swimmer must swim UNATTACHED during
any USA Swimming competition. Additionally, a form signed by the swimmer’s
previous club documenting his/her eligibility to swim for YBAC must be filed with the
North Carolina Registration Chairperson before competing for YBAC. YBAC
swimmers who are planning to transfer to another club should contact the YBAC
Team Registrar to obtain the required transfer documents as soon as possible.
All questions regarding registration and/or transfers should be directed to the Head
Coach or Membership Chair.
Finances YBAC operates on funds from a variety of sources. Income is derived from monthly dues,
profits from hosted swim meets, corporate contributions, ads in heat sheets and
fundraisers. Expenses include coaches’ salaries and travel, pool rental, insurance, office
supplies and swimmers’ awards.
Each family who has a swimmer participating on the team will be required to sign a Parent
Obligation form. The Parent Obligation form addresses all of the financial obligations that
the family is responsible for during swim season.
Fees and Dues Structure The required and non-refundable registration fee ($35 for Technique and Fitness Program;
$100 for Competitive & High Performance Program) will not be prorated or waived for any
reason, except those with official school documentation of reduced or free lunch program,
regardless of start date or number of months your swimmer plans to participate. Registration Fees - includes:
o YMCA Competitive Swimming and Diving is unique in that it, like other YMCA
sports programs, emphasizes the overall development of the athlete. It
promotes not only physical achievement, but also mental and spiritual
growth. The National YMCA Competitive Swimming and Diving Committee
conduct the YMCA National Championship Meets and group representatives
and leagues oversee local and regional competitions. Teams are divided into
regions and local clusters or leagues. The Alamance County Community YMCA
is in the Upper Southeast region (USY).
Our league is the “Greater YMCA Sunbelt Swimming Association,” (GYSSA)
which encompasses all of North Carolina. YMCA coaches and officials are
certified by YMCA standards. YMCA competitions include dual meets,
invitational, and championship meets. Swimmers must compete in at least
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three YMCA meets during a season to be eligible for the league regional and
national championship meets.
o USA Swimming (only those in the High Performance & Competitive groups or
paying the USAS registration fee) - USA Swimming is the national governing
body for amateur competitive swimming. It sets rules for competitions,
implements policies, conducts national championship meets and selects
athletes to represent the United States in international competitions. USA
Swimming requires coaches and officials to be certified according to its
standards. USA Swimming is divided into Local Swimming Committees (LSCs),
which administer USA Swimming activities in smaller geographical areas. Our
LSC is “North Carolina Swimming,” or NCS.
YBAC Registration – This includes the administrative fee, and a Team T-Shirt
and YBAC Swim Cap for each member.
Pool Membership – As long as the swimmer is a participating member of
YBAC Hurricanes, the swimmers has access to the Maynard Aquatic Center
and the Alamance County Community YMCA during regular business hours.
They must follow all rules and regulations of each organization.
Practice Group Dues
All swimmers pay a monthly program fee or the program fee based on the
swimmer’s training group. This information can be found on the program flyer for
each season.
Dues can be paid in one of two methods, either the entire year, or season payable
to the Alamance County YMCA upon joining the team, and the start of each
succeeding season or the Monthly Rate will be bank drafted.
o Bank drafting is available for method of payment. Individuals need to
complete the bank draft form and return it to the YMCA front desk. Drafts
will be taking on the first day of each month. $25.00 service fee will be
charged for any returned drafts
Competition Fees - Athletes who desire to compete in swim meets will be expected
to pay all competition fees. These fees include facility fee, event fees and YBAC
team ($10.00 for local meets, higher for meets requiring hotel stay). Competition
fees must be set up for draft, unless arrangements are made with the YMCA
Financial Director – Patricia Brewer.
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Financial Assistance Financial assistance is available for families needing help in paying swim team program
fees. To apply for this assistance please contact the YMCA Finance Office.
Quitting the Team If at some point your swimmer needs to change practice groups or cancel swim team, you
must complete a Change Form from the front desk of the YMCA. For group changes, the
request must be submitted and approved BEFORE the group change occurs. Swimmers
will not be allowed to switch practice groups solely based on verbal approval from their
coach.
For cancellations, the YBAC Cancel Form must be received by the YBAC Front Desk by 20th
of the preceding month that you wish to have cancelled. Refunds will NOT be granted if a
draft occurs for a cancelled month if the form was not received in time. Verbally
notifying your child’s coach or the front desk is not sufficient cancellation notice and will
not stop your draft without the completed cancellation form.
Hosting Swim Meets YBAC will be hosting two meets, with the hopes to add more in the future. These meets
provide YBAC with much needed income in the form of entry fees, heat sheet sales,
concessions and other sales. The success of these meets is very dependent on the
volunteer support of the YBAC parents.
Following is a list of some of the positions for which parent volunteers are required:
Meet Director, Assistant Meet Director, Meet Referee, Announcer, Awards,
Hospitality Room, Clerk of Course, Head Timer, Concessions, Timing Console
Operators, Computer Operators, Stroke and Turn Officials, Lane Timers, Bull Pen (for
10 & under swimmers)
All YBAC families are required to have a family member work a session (which runs approx.
5 hours each) for each day of the meet we host. If a family cannot attend, they must
provide someone to work in their place. Please volunteer your time to make these meets a
success! Every worker is expected to work the entire session, not just when your child is
swimming.
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SWIM MEETS
Competitive Strokes The four competitive strokes are freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. Events
are held in all of the competitive strokes at varying distances depending on the age-group
of the swimmer. In addition, there is a combination of the strokes swum by one swimmer
called the individual medley. Other swimming events include relays, which are a group of
four swimmers who either all swim freestyle (freestyle relay) or each swim one of the
competitive strokes in the order of backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle
(medley relay).
Meet Classification and Progression Swim meets attended by YBAC are classified as either YMCA or USA Swimming (USAS)
meets. The rules governing YMCA and USAS meets vary slightly, and this is a primary
factor in determining the meet classification. In addition, YMCA classified meets are open
only to YMCA swim teams. In more general terms and at both YMCA and USAS meets,
meets are classified by the swimmer’s ability/achievement level, the length of the
competition pool, and the format of the meet. Here are some terms and definitions that will
help both swimmers and parents understand how meets are classified:
Short Course Season - Short Course season is from September until April.
Competition and workouts are typically held at the 25 yard pools in and around
North Carolina. Competitions begin in October and end in April with “Y” Nationals.
Long Course Season - Long Course competition begins in April and continues
through the first part of August. All Long Course competition is held in 50 meter
pools.
Timed Finals – In meets of this format, swimmers are seeded according to their
entry time against other swimmers within their age group. Athletes swim each event
only once during the meet.
Preliminaries (Prelims)/Finals – In this meet format, swimmers race each event once
in the preliminary heats. Out of these heats, the top eight, sixteen, or twenty-four
swimmers advance to the finals for that event. The number of swimmers who qualify
for finals is determined by the meet host. During the finals, swimmers are re-seeded
according to their preliminary times for the final heats. The following example is
used for a meet in an 8-lane pool: The “championship final” consists of the fastest
8 swimmers from the prelim heats, the “consolation final” consists of the 9th
through 16th place swimmers from the prelim heats, and the “bonus final” consists
of the 17th through 24th place swimmers from the prelim heats.
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Time Standards – Time standards are set in order to determine the level of the meet
in which a swimmer competes. In some instances, meets may be setup to exclude
faster swimmers, while some meets may exclude slower swimmers.
Age Group Meets – These meets group individuals by age into specific age groups.
The age groups used in YMCA and USAS meets are: 8 & under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14,
and 15-18.
Senior Meets – These meets have no age groups. This means that it is possible for a
12 year old to swim in the same event as a 19 year old. Meets that are strictly
senior include Senior Sectionals, YMCA Nationals, US Nationals, and Olympic Trials.
In addition to the classification of meets, there is a progression of meets that swimmers
follow throughout their careers based on their current ability level and level of
achievement. This progression is outlined below.
Dual Meets - Occasionally, the YBAC Hurricanes will compete with one other team in
a dual meet. These meets help promote team unity, but usually limit the number of
events a swimmer may enter.
Open YMCA Meets – These meets are YMCA meets open to anyone that is a current
member of any YMCA swim team. These meets are geared more towards introducing
those swimmers new to YMCA and year-round swimming to the competition
environment. There are typically no time standard requirements for these meets and
the focus of the meet is to ensure that the swimmers are having fun and enjoying
their competitive experience.
YMCA/USAS Invitationals – Invitationals are 2 to 3 day meets typically held within
our state but may be held outside of our state for faster swimmers. These meets
are usually categorized into the following levels according to time standards: “C-B-
BB” (new or novice swimmers); “A-AAAA” (swimmers typically competing at a state,
regional or national level); or “open” (any level swimmer). These meets may be timed
finals, prelims/finals, age group, senior, or a combination thereof.
YMCA Championship – Championship meets are held near the end of both the short
and long course seasons. There are generally qualifying standards for these meets.
The major championship meets for our program are the GYSSA Championships, the
Upper Southeast Regional YMCA Championships, and the YMCA National
Championships. Swimmers must have competed in three YMCA meets (open or
invitational) during the season to be eligible to compete in the YMCA championships
meets.
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o GYSSA Championships – This meet serves as a championship meet for all
YMCA swimmers. There are no qualifying standards for most events, but
swimmers must have participated in “Y” meets during the course of the
season prior to these meets. All YBAC swimmers are encouraged to attend
this meet. This is a timed finals meet for all age groups.
o Upper Southeast Regional YMCA (USY) Championships – This meet is for
qualified swimmers only. Qualifying times are usually between “BB” and “A”
times. Swimmers compete against the top YMCA swimmers within our region
(North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee). This is a timed
finals meet for 12 and under swimmers and a prelims/finals meet for 13 and
older swimmers.
o YMCA National Championships – This meet is the national championship for
all YMCA swim teams. This meet is run in a senior format and is open to only
those swimmers ages 12 and older who meet the qualifying times for each
event. There is a national championship meet held for both short and long
course seasons. This is a prelims/finals meet.
USAS Championship – These meets are also held near the end of both the short and
long course seasons. These meets are run in both age group and senior formats and
typically have varying time standard requirements. The major USAS championship
meets for our program are the North Carolina Swimming Age Group Championships
(also called JOs), the Senior Sectional Championships, the US National
Championships, and the Olympic Trials.
o NCS Age Group Championships (JO’s) – This is the North Carolina state
championships meet for age group swimmers. This meet is also known as
“JOs”. There are both short and long course age group championship meets.
The short course championship meet is for swimmers ages 14 and under
only. The long course championship meet is for all age groups. There are
specific qualifying standards for both meets. These time standards will vary
from year to year. This is typically a timed finals meet for 12 and under
swimmers and a prelims/finals meet for 13 and older swimmers.
o Age Group Sectionals – This is the short course regional championship meet
for qualified swimmers ages 14 and younger in the Eastern Section of USA
Swimming’s Southern Zone. Qualifying standards will vary from year to year.
This is typically a timed finals meet for 10 and under swimmers and a
prelims/finals meet for 12 and older swimmers.
o Senior Sectionals – These are the regional championship meets for qualified
swimmers ages 12 and older in the Eastern Section of the Southern Zone,
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held both short and long course. Qualifying standards will vary from year to
year. Meets are run in a prelim/final format and are used as qualifying meets
for US Nationals.
o US Nationals – This meet consists of the fastest swimmers in the United
States. Swimmers qualify by meeting the required time standards for each
individual event. This is a long course prelims/finals meet format.
o Olympic Trials – This is the selection meet for the US Olympic Team. This
meet is only held only in Olympic years, and swimmers must meet the long
course qualifying standards. This is a prelims/finals meet.
Competition... and the winner is... The YBAC Hurricanes staff does not see the first place person as the only winner. We'd
rather look to see who behaves like a winner. There are certain characteristics of a winner,
and every swimmer, no matter where they place, has the opportunity to emulate those
characteristics: concentration, listening skills, and working toward goals.
Sport is not an end in itself, but a vehicle we use to teach children life skills and how to
reach their potential. We use sport as organized play to demonstrate and measure one's
abilities. Seen in that light, winning without learning is not YBAC Hurricanes’ desired
intention. In competition, the important measure is not who collected the most medals, or
even who improved the most seconds. The real critical measure is who learned the most
from the competitive experience.
Swimmers quickly forget the medals, records, and other material benefits. They will,
however, remember the development of interpersonal skills, discipline, listening skills, time
management, goal setting, and enhanced self- image. These are the things that make the
swimmer a more successful person with a better chance of living a life closer to their peak
potential, and to contribute to the world they live in.
Meet Schedule Each season's meet schedule is distributed at the outset of the season. The meet schedule
has been established with the expectation that swimmers will attend every meet available
at their classification level. We do not schedule a meet unless we feel it is important to
participate. However, it is not mandatory to attend meets. One can also choose to enter
only one day of a two or three-day meet.
On an average, we want all team members to compete once every three to four weeks. The
meet schedule is established with this philosophy in mind. In some cases, meets of a similar
classification are scheduled as close as two weeks apart or as far as one month apart. This
happens when the meets that the coaching staff chooses from offer no other alternative.
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Team Effort Meets-Team championship meets are either indicated on the meet schedule or
talked about in the parent meetings. Since the coaching staff places the most emphasis on
these meets, YBAC swimmers who are qualified are expected to attend.
Philosophy of Competition The YBAC Hurricanes engages in a multi-level competition program that, like our training
program, attempts to provide challenging, yet success-oriented competitive situations for
swimmers of all ages and abilities. The following policies outline our philosophy:
We emphasize competition with oneself. Winning ribbons, medals, or trophies is not
our main goal. Even if the swimmer finishes first, but has swum poorly in
comparison to his/her own past performances, he/she is encouraged to do better.
The individual's improvement is our primary objective.
Sportsmanlike behavior is of equal importance of improved performance. All the
coaches teach swimmers how to behave like a champion when the swimmer has both
a "good" and a "bad" swim. Respect for officials, congratulations to other
competitors, encouragement to teammates, determined effort, and mature attitudes
are examples of behaviors praised and rewarded by the YBAC Hurricanes coaching
staff.
A swimmer is praised for improving his/her stroke or time. It is the coach's job to
offer constructive criticism of a swimmer's performance. It is the parent's
responsibility to provide love and encouragement that bolster the swimmer's
confidence along the way.
Swimmers are taught to set realistic, yet challenging, goals for meets and to relate those
goals to practice to direct their training efforts. Swimmers are prepared and encouraged to
compete in all swimming events, distances, and strokes. This policy promotes versatility
and encourages the swimmer to explore his potential in the wide range of events offered in
competitive swimming. Oftentimes, a swimmers "best" stroke changes as they mature and
his/her body goes through physical changes.
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Meet Entry Procedures Upon receiving the meet information, the coaches will send out the meet entry information,
usually though Sign-Up Genius. Swimmers (and/or parents) are responsible for signing up
for meets. Here are some things to look for when information on an upcoming meet is filed:
Qualifications for the meet
Place and date of the meet, time of warm-ups and meet start times
Number of individual events allowed per day per swimmer
Entry fees
Meet entry deadline
Swim Meet Entry Procedure
1. Coach David will setup entries and send invitation to sign up through Signup
Genius
2. Parents use link to register swimmers prior to the deadline (Usually a
Wednesday)
a. If swimmer wants to pick their events, they should indicate those events
in the comment section
b. If the swimmer is to be limited in number of events, please indicate that
3. Coach David will compile all YBAC team entries
a. Coach David will enter all relays
4. Coach David will send out entries to team for review and post on team website
a. If there are any changes, please get them to Coach David by noon the
next day
5. Coach David will send the entries into meet host
a. Once the meet entries are sent, parents are responsible for all meet fees
6. Meet Fees will be drafted from your account the week of the meet
Please be aware that we have deadlines to meet from hosting teams, meets fill up
fast and we cannot send in late entries or risk not be able to swim in the meet.
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Meet Preparation and Guidelines
The Monday/Tuesday prior to the meet – Coach David will put a meet
information sheet in your family folder. (I usually do not do this for our
Intrasquad meets)
o This information contains all the information you need for the meet – i.e.
time, place, events you are swimming, best times, and goal times
Arrive early to the meet; warm-ups are extremely important. Lack of a proper
warm-up will have a direct effect on the performance at a meet. When you arrive
late you disturb the flow of warm-up by getting into the set after the other
swimmers have already started. The coach has to refocus on getting you
started, while losing the focus of the rest of the team. This behavior is
inconsiderate of others. We do understand that some of the swimmers do not
drive and many things are out of those swimmers’ control.
Scratching from events rarely happens. And the coach must give permission.
Swimmers/parents should NEVER scratch an event without first checking with a
coach.
Stay in the designated team area. The coach needs to know where you are at all
times. Be sure to see your coach before every race. Your coach will have things
to remind you about or may just want to wish you good luck.
Immediately after you swim a race, get your time from the timer and report to
the COACH. They want to talk to you as soon as possible after each swim. See
the coach first, Mom and Dad and friends second. After reporting to the coach,
warm down if possible.
Show good sportsmanship. No showing disgust by slamming goggles, splashing
water, throwing caps or using profane language.
Disqualification: happens to everyone! It’s not the end of the world. It’s an
opportunity to learn and improve. Then see your coach. Parents should NEVER
question the call of the officials!
Every swimmer is expected to swim on the relay if the coach places him/her on
one. DON’T LEAVE THE MEET WITHOUT FINDING OUT THE STATUS OF THE
RELAYS!!
o Relay swimmers are determined at the meet – even if names are printed
in the meet sheet – the coaches at the meet may need to change the
swimmers and/or order.
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The Reason Why You Are There It is sometimes easy to be distracted from the real reason you are going to swim meets.
You want to see your swimmer perform at his/her best and feel the satisfaction of many
hours of hard work paying off. There are several things to remember to ensure this
happens:
The coach must have the chance to talk to the swimmer about the race before and
after each race. The last thing the swimmer should do before going to the blocks is
to see the coach. Let the coach have a few minutes to critique the race after it is
over. These first few minutes immediately after the race are critical for learning.
Following the review of the swim with the coach, the swimmer should warm down, if
a warm down pool is available.
Whether your swimmer does great, mediocre, or disastrous (at some point you will
experience the full range), always talk to your swimmer in relationship to his/her
best performance prior. Never compare your swimmer to other swimmers or high
point contenders. The primary goal at all meets is to measure personal
improvements.
It is okay to acknowledge a first place, high point, etc. but only secondary to best
times, improved technique, better strategy, etc. A first place finish is never
standard, only relative to the competition and conditions on that day. Personal
performance is more measurable and satisfying in the long run.
Officials and Disagreements Under no circumstance will a parent or swimmer approach an official to question an
official’s decision. The officials are volunteers helping the sport, doing the best job they
can. Any problems will be handled through the coach.
Meet Results Meet results are posted as the meet progresses and are also furnished to the team after
the meet.
If the time listed or placing is wrong, the swimmer should talk to the coach immediately, in
order for the coach to check on the problem. The times contained in the official results are
used to update a swimmer’s best times and are used as entry seeding times for subsequent
meets.
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Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Swim Meets...
But, Were Afraid to Ask (or didn't know what to ask): Swim meets are a great family experience! They're a place where the whole family can
spend time together. Listed below are some very in-depth guidelines geared to help you
through your first couple of swim meets. It may seem a little overwhelming, but we tried to
be as specific and as detailed as we possibly could.
Before the Meet Starts
Warm-ups are generally early in the morning and the coach expects the swimmers at the
pool side ready to enter the water by the start of warm-ups. This means the swimmer
should arrive at the pool early enough to get everything out of the car, find the locker
room and the team area, be on the deck with suit, cap and goggles, check in with the
coach. Your swimmer has been working very hard preparing for this meet and expects to
go out and do his/her very best. A good start to the day can make a big difference mentally
and physically. BE ON TIME FOR A GOOD WARM-UP SESSION!!!! Swimmers are not to enter
the water until a coach is on deck and then, everyone does warm-up as a team.
Find your coach & check-in if necessary. At most meets, swimmers are required to
check-in with the Clerk of Course for the longer races such as the 400/500 free, 400
I.M., 800/1000 free or 1500/1650 free. The swimmer entered in the event must check
off his/her name if there is an intention to swim. This is usually around the area marked
"Clerk of Course". If the swimmer does not check in, he/she will be scratched from the
event. This is done so that the people running the meet know who is actually at the
meet.
Once "checked in", write each event-number heat and lane on your swimmer's hand in
ink. These are found in the heat sheet sold by the host team. This helps him/her
remember what events he/she is swimming and what event number to listen for.
Your swimmer now gets his/her cap and goggles and reports to the pool and/or coach
for warm-up instructions. It is very important for all swimmers to warm-up with the
team. Swimmer's bodies are just like cars on a cold day-he/she needs to get the engine
going and warmed-up before he/she can go all out.
After warm-up, your swimmer will go back to the area where his/her towels are and sit
there until the next event is called. This is a good time to make sure he/she goes to the
bathroom if necessary, gets a drink, or just gets settled in.
The meet will usually start about 10-15 minutes after warm-ups are over.
According to USA Swimming rules (because of insurance purposes), parents are not
allowed on deck unless they are serving in an official capacity. Similarly, all questions
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concerning meet results, an officiating call, or the conduct of a meet, should be referred
to the coaching staff. They, in turn, will pursue the matter through the proper channels.
Heat Sheets. A heat sheet is usually available for sale in the lobby or concession area of
the pool. Heat sheets list all swimmers in each event by heat and lane according to their
"seed time". When the team entry is sent in, each swimmer and his/her previous best
time in that event is listed. If the swimmer is swimming an event for the first time,
he/she will be entered as a "no-time" or "NT". A "no-time" swimmer will most likely swim
in one of the first heats of the event.
Meet Starts
It is important for any swimmer to know what event numbers he/she is swimming
(again, why they should have the numbers on their hand). He/she may swim right away
after warm-up or they may have to wait awhile.
A swimmer's event will be called, usually over the loudspeaker, and he/she will be asked
to report to the blocks. Swimmers should report with his/her cap and goggle. Generally,
girls’ events are odd-numbered and boys’ events are even-numbered. You can expect at
least 4-8 heats of each event.
The swimmer swims their race.
After each swim:
o He/she is to ask the timers for his/her time.
o He/she should go immediately to their coach. The coach will ask him/her their
time and discuss the swim with each swimmer.
Generally, the coach follows these guidelines when discussing swims:
o Positive comments or praise
o Suggestions for improvement
o Positive comments
Things you, as a parent, can do after each swim:
o Tell him/her how great they did! The coaching staff will be sure to discuss stroke
technique with them. You need to tell him/her how proud you are and what a
great job he/she did.
Take him/her back to the towel area and relax.
This is another good time to check out the bathrooms, get a drink or
something light to eat.
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The swimmer now waits until his/her next event is called and starts the
procedure again.
When a swimmer has completed all of his/her events he/she and their
parents get to go home. Make sure, however, the swimmer checks with the
coach before leaving to make sure your swimmer is not included on a relay. It
is not fair to other swimmers who may have stayed to swim on a relay where
your swimmer is expected to be a member and he/she is not there. (The
coaches speak from experience on this issue).
What to Take to the Meet Most important: Swim Suit and YBAC Cap--and goggles.
Towels-Realize your swimmer will be there awhile, so pack at least two.
Something to sit on. Example: sleeping bag, old blanket, or anything that will be
comfortable to sit on. The swimmers will be spending a lot of time on it.
Tents, canopies, umbrellas, etc. (at outdoor meets)
Sweat suits: Each swimmer may want to bring two because they can get wet and
soggy.
T-shirts: Two or three. Same reason as above.
Games: travel games, coloring books, books, anything to pass the time.
Food: Each swimmer is usually allowed to bring a small cooler. They also usually
have snack bars at the meet.
Once you have attended one or two meets this will all become very routine. Please do not
hesitate to ask any other YBAC Hurricanes parent for help or information!
These meets are a lot of fun for the swimmers! He/she gets to visit with his/her friends,
play games, and meet kids from other teams. He/she also gets to "race" and see how much
he/she has improved from all the hard work he/she has put in at practice.
Special Parent's Note The pool area is usually very warm. Therefore, you need to make sure you dress
appropriately. Nothing is worse than being hot at a swim meet. It makes the time pass
very slowly! At some of the meets, the parents are allowed to sit with the swimmers at the
blanket area (those are most of the meets not held at the GAC). If you don't think that a
gym floor is comfortable, feel free to bring folding chairs to sit on.
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CHAMPIONSHIP MEETS Policy one of our team goals is to qualify as many swimmers as possible for the
Championship meet(s). Whether attendance is REQUIRED or OPTIONAL, the Championship
meet is a special experience and extremely important in the athlete’s development.
As our season progresses, all of the swimmers get excited and motivated to "go for a State
cut". Unfortunately, some of the swimmers do not have the consistent practice habits nor
the meet experience to make the cut, yet, through and extremely psyched swim and a lot of
desire, they do the time. Because they don't have the practices and meet experience, the
swimmer will probably not repeat the time at the Championship meet.
As an Age Group swimmer, our swimmers learn they swim faster at the Championship meet
than at any other time during the season. They are prepared for this; they are taught this;
we practice this. If a young swimmer goes to the Championship meet and is not properly
prepared, the experience is negative and can affect other championships later in his/her
swimming career.
We, as coaches, believe that the honor of competing in a Championship meet is earned
through consistent practice habits and competitive experience at swim meets. There's a big
difference between "wanting" to go to the championships and "deserving" to be at the
championships. Talent plays a supporting role to commitment.
To insure that all of our swimmers are properly prepared for their championships:
Meet attendance and participation throughout the entire season is important.
Meets offer the experience necessary for the championships.
Practice habits must be within our recommendations for the group the swimmer
trains with. "Consistency" is the key word.
The State Championship is not the ultimate goal. It is a seasonal goal that should lead to
Zones, Junior & Senior Nationals, and beyond. Making the "cut off time" is simply a
requirement to attend the meet. The goal is to be as prepared as possible and perform to
the best of one's ability at the meet. Sometimes swimmers get the "end" and the "means"
mixed up.
Swimmers are special people and deserve to have positive experiences as rewards for their
dedication and commitment. Let's make sure that parents, swimmers, and coaches, are
laying the foundation for the best possible experience at the Championship meet.
Prelims & Finals
In a preliminaries and finals meet format, the object of the preliminary swim is to
qualify for the evening finals session. If a swimmer places among the top 8 (in an 8
lane pool) after his/her morning swim they then qualify to swim in the Championship
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finals in the evening session. Some meets also swim a Consolation final. If a
swimmer places from 9th - 16th place from preliminaries, he/she qualifies to
participate in the Consolation finals in the evening session. In During the prelims,
the results are usually posted within 1/2 hour of the conclusion of the event. If a
swimmer does not wish to swim in a final swim he or she may "scratch" the event
and not be penalized. This must take place within a half hour of the posting of the
preliminary results. Therefore, within approximately 1 hour of the end of an event, a
swimmer should know if they have made finals. A swimmer should never leave the
meet without making sure if they are a finalist or an alternate. USA Swimming rules
dictate that if a swimmer makes a finals event and fails to show up they are barred
from participating in the remainder of the meet (individual events and relays).
Alternates (the 17th & 18th place swimmers) should check with his/her coach about
attending finals. No YBAC swimmer should scratch a finals event without first
discussing with the coaching staff. It is the goal of all prelim / final meets (after
getting a best time) to qualify for the finals portion of the meet.
Circle Seeding is used only in the prelims of Championship meets with events that
have "prelims & finals". This affects only the top 24 seeded swimmers (8 lane pool)
which compete in the last 3 heats. All other heats are regular seeding. Circle seeding
goes like this: The fastest seeded swimmer will be in the last heat in lane 4. The
second fastest swimmer will be in the second to last heat lane 4. The third fastest
swimmer will be in the third to last heat lane 4. The fourth fastest swimmer will be
in the last heat lane 5 and so on.
The finals are seeded like a regular meet as are any events that are swam as timed
finals such as relays, distance freestyles and other events most often held on Friday
evening as a timed finals session.
Awards & Placing
The swimmers who participate in the championship finals receive awards as listed in
the meet information. The swimmers who participate in the consolation finals often
do not receive awards, but do score points for the team. One very important thing:
Once a swimmer has made the championship final, the worst they can place is 8th,
regardless of how slow they may swim in finals. The swimmers who participate in
the consolation finals may place no better than 9th (the winner of the heat)
regardless how fast they swim. It has been known to happen that the winner of the
consolation finals swims a time that would have placed him/her 2nd or 3rd in the
championship finals, but the highest he/she can score is 9th. That is why it is
important to swim very fast in the morning prelims session to make the
championship finals. If a swimmer is disqualified in finals, they do not score points
nor get awards, however, a non-finals swimmer cannot be moved up to score. The
place simply is not awarded. Alternates occasionally get to swim and can score the
same as any other swimmer.
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Receiving Awards in Public
Whenever there is a system of presenting awards at a meet, it is customary for
swimmers to be prompt and to cooperate fully with dignity and respect at the
presentations. A club uniform is to be worn when accepting the award. It is also
customary for Hurricane swimmers to be polite and modestly thankful for any
awards they receive. It is appropriate to congratulate other swimmers and receive
the same with poise and a "thank you". Good sportsmanship is essential. If photos
are being taken, we ask the swimmer to remain until the shooting is complete, being
sure to cooperate with the photographer. Do not ham it up! The picture may be
special to someone else. The image a swimmer presents is a direct reflection of the
team.
Out of Town Meets Trips to meets in other cities become an important aspect of a swimmer's career while
advancing through the age group ranks. YBAC Hurricanes has established the following
policies for the safety of the swimmer and peace-of-mind of parents:
Parents are to be responsible for arranging transportation and lodging to away
meets, with the exception of those competitions so designated. DO NOT ASK YOUR
SWIMMER(S) TO HANDLE THIS JOB. Oftentimes, a certain hotel will be designated as
"team headquarters."
Parents are encouraged to attend out-of-town meets with their swimmers and to
chaperon other youngsters. These trips can be great fun for parents and swimmers
alike. They also are a rare opportunity to participate in a special way in each young
swimmer's career.
A coach has too many responsibilities to the entire team to accept responsibility for
an individual swimmer. Therefore, a coach is not permitted to provide
transportation.
Any swimmer riding in a car is responsible to the parent/driver for his/her behavior
and is expected to adhere to the YBAC Hurricanes "Honor Code" at all times.
A medical release and emergency telephone number should be given to the
parent/driver with whom your swimmer is riding in case emergency medical
treatment is required.
An appropriate contribution is expected from each passenger in a car to the
driver/owner to help defray gasoline and related expenses.
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Bus Trip Policy It is important for swimmers to participate in meets both with and without their parents in
attendance. This adds to the growth experience a child can gain from competitive
swimming, teamwork, and individual initiative. As a swimmer progresses to Junior and
Senior Nationals, oftentimes they attend these meets without his/her parents. It is,
therefore, necessary for a swimmer to learn to travel without his/her parents.
All YBAC Hurricanes swimmers must travel with the team and stay in the hotel with
the team on all bus trips.
YBAC Hurricane swimmers must remain with the team for the duration of the trip
(including meals and team functions).
If a YBAC Hurricane swimmer would like to return with his/her parents, he/she may
leave if his/her meet is over and arrangements were made prior to the start of the
trip with a signed permission slip. However, the swimmer is still responsible for full
roundtrip transportation costs.
The full amount of designated transportation will be collected in advance. These
amounts are not refundable.
All release forms must be signed prior to the trip.
The "Honor Code" must be followed by all swimmers. Regulations must be followed
as set forth by coaches and chaperones.
